Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Homes Act to Tackle America’s Housing Crisis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chair of the Senate Housing, Transportation and Community Development Subcommittee, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14) today unveiled legislation that would reimagine housing in America, making a historic and long overdue investment in our housing supply. The bill would help build and preserve as many as 1.3 million homes in small towns, big cities, and rural communities; and help families everywhere find a quality, affordable place to call home. Smith and Ocasio-Cortez are joined on the legislation by Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and 34 members in the House of Representatives. “Without a safe, decent and affordable place to live, nothing in your life works. It becomes nearly impossible to hold a job, go to school, or stay healthy,” said Senator Smith. “Our country is facing a housing crisis, with annual supply falling dramatically behind demand. Our proposal would serve renters, and homebuyers alike, providing millions of Americans in rural and urban communities with more options for a quality, affordable place to call home—with the sense of stability, security, comfort and pride that should come with it. Housing is a human right—this is a bill that meets the urgency of the moment we are in.” “Every day, we see families grappling with the harsh reality of the housing crisis—skyrocketing rents, evictions, and homelessness—while big banks and Wall Street prioritize profit over people. The Homes Act is our bold response to this crisis, investing $300 billion over the next decade to ensure everyone can access an affordable home,” said Rep. Ocasio-Cortez. “We
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Reps. Angie Craig, Brad Finstad Reintroduce Bill to Improve Access to Job Training in Schools
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Representatives Angie Craig (D-MN02) and Brad Finstad (R-MN01) reintroduced legislation to expand partnerships between schools and businesses to help ensure a future workforce that is trained and qualified for the jobs and careers employers are hiring for. Many employers struggle to find qualified workers across several industries, including manufacturing, agriculture, and health care. Schools and employers are already building programs and partnerships like those outlined in the billto equip students with the skills needed to secure these jobs, but the lawmakers recognize that the need warrants greater federal investments to support these programs. “Workforce partnerships give students the opportunity to develop the skills they need for jobs that are available, often without taking on huge amounts of debt,” said Sen. Smith, a member of the Senate Education Committee. “But what I’ve learned is that oftentimes, students aren’t aware of—or don’t have access to—local programs that provide the training these jobs require. Our bill aims to fix this issue by expanding partnerships between schools and local employers. We know these partnerships work, and our goal is to make sure they are available for more Minnesotans and Americans.” The 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act would establish grant programs at the U.S. Department of Education to introduce middle and high school students to career exploration and career pathway opportunities. It would also fund grants to foster partnerships between higher education institutions and businesses to provide career training programs which lead to postsecondary degrees. “Expanding workforce partnerships and apprenticeship programs means more Minnesotans are connected to good-paying job opportunities, without taking on the burden of student loans,” said Rep. Craig. “My bipartisan bill with Sen.
U.S. Senator Tina Smith’s Statement on the Need for Energy Independence in Response to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
WASHINGTON, D.C. [03/03/22]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) released the following statement on the need for energy independence as we face rising energy prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: “The tragic events playing out in Ukraine drive home just how important it is to cut ourselves free of the global oil and gas market. The dramatic spike in global fossil fuel prices caused by this unprovoked war demonstrate the damage that can be done to the pocketbooks of American families when our energy supply hinges on the whims of autocratic leaders. Putin uses his oil and gas as a source
Sen. Smith, Rep. Underwood Introduce New Legislation to Expand FMLA Coverage, Strengthen Worker Protections
WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) introduced new legislation to expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 to more workers. Every year, nearly 2.6 million workers who need family or medical leave do not take it because they fear losing their jobs if they do and are currently ineligible for FMLA protections. The Job Protection Act would be the largest expansion of family and medical leave protections in nearly 30 years. The legislation would extend FMLA protections to tens of millions of vulnerable workers – no matter the size of their
Senator Tina Smith Joins Colleagues Calling Out Drug Manufacturers For Squeezing American Families With Rapid, Widespread Price Hikes on Prescription Drugs
Washington, D.C. — United States Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined a group of Senate and House colleagues in a letter to the CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) expressing concern over findings from two new analyses that reveal troubling, widespread, and rapid price increases for brand name drugs in January 2022. “The large, across-the-board price increases of popular, brand name prescription drugs appear to be an example of pharmaceutical companies taking advantage of their abusive market power to expand already-large profits. And the coordinated and timely price increases ring of political opportunism,” the lawmakers wrote. The
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Major Federal Funding to Boost Supply Chain and Improve Land Border Port of Entry Infrastructure
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the General Services Administration (GSA) was awarded over $250 million through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to upgrade and increase capacity at the International Falls and Grand Portage land ports of entry on the Canadian border. These improvements will strengthen supply chains, improve safety and security, and create jobs. “Border ports of entry play a critical role in the success of Minnesota’s economy by facilitating trade and tourism” said Klobuchar. “This much-needed investment will help boost our supply chain by expanding processing capacity for goods
English